Reinforced clip and lingual or palatal bars for dentures



J y 1951 A. R. MACK EY 2,560,450

REINFORCED CLIP AND LINGUAL OR PALATAL BARS FOR DENTURES Filed June 20, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

' iiweg x Patented July 10, 1951 REINFORCED CLIP AND LIN GUAL OR PALATAL BARS FOR DENTURES Augustus R. Mackey, Newark, N. J.

Application June 20, 1950, Serial No. 169,150

3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to improvements in dentures, and more particularly to partial dentures which are clipped to natural teeth so as to be anchored thereby in the mouth of the wearer.

In partial dentures, wherein the opposite plate sections thereof are formed from molded plastic material, the plate sections are provided at their inner ends with suitably shaped clips which are adapted to clasp the natural teeth adjacent to which said inner ends of the plate sections terminate. These clips are provided with shanks adapted to be imbedded in the material of the plate sections. The plate sections are connected one with the other by bars which extend therebetween to lie behind the natural teeth with which the partial denture is associated, when said denture is worn. If the partial denture is designed for application to the lower jaw, the connecting bar is referred to as a lingual bar, but in a partial denture for application to the upper jaw, the connecting bar is referred to as a palatal bar. With respect to both types of connecting bars, the same are secured to the plate sections of the denture by imbedding the end portions thereof in the material of said plate sections.

In partial dentures characterized as above stated, there is considerable risk of either the clasp or the connecting bars breaking away from Referring to the drawings, the reference character I indicates the plate sections of a partial denture for application to the lower jaw of a wearer thereof. These plate sections are molded from suitable plastic material, and are comformably shaped to fit over the ridge of the wearer's jaw. Mounted in the plate sections are the artificial teeth desired to be supplied by the restora tion which the partial denture provides. To the inner end of each plate section II] is affixed a clip I I adapted to clasp an adjacent natural tooth in the manner and for the purpose well known to the art. Each such clip II is provided with a shank I2 about which the material of the plate section is molded, so as to imbed and anchor said shank therein. Extending between the plate sections II! is a suitably shaped connecting or lingual bar I3. The material of theplate sections I0 is molded about end portions I4 of the connecting or lingual bar I3, so as .to imbed and anchor the ends of the latter to said plate sections.

the plate sections to which they are secured,

whereby to substantially eliminate risk of breakage, and at the same time greatly strengthen the denture as a whole.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a partial denture wherein a novel reinforcing means accordingto this invention is combined with the clips and. connecting bar and the plate sections thereof; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line Z2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 2, but drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the reenforcing element as applied to a clip and an end of a connecting bar adjacent thereto, this view being somewhat enlarged and showing the The clips I I and the connecting or lingual bar I3 of the denture are made of metallic material which may optionally be of either precious or non-precious metal.

According to the instant invention, a reenforcing means of novel construction and arrangement is combined with each plate section Ill and with its associated clip II and anchoring end portion of the connecting or lingual bar I3. In an illustrative embodiment thereof, said reenforcing means comprises a sheet metal formation produced by folding a sheet metal strip across its length into a hollow body I5 of angular or, substantially U-shaped cross-section. The body I5 thus produced is then bent to provide an upper arm I 6 for extension upwardly between the con.-.

necting or lingual bar I3 and the adjacent clip II, and a lower and rearwardly extending arm I'I, angular to said upper arm; for extension from the connecting or lingual bar I3 and shaped to. substantially conform to the contour of the inner or rearward marginal bottom edge of the plate section II]. Intermediate the arms I6 and I1, thewalls of the body I5 are flattened to engage in mutual meeting relation and are then bowed outwardly so as to extend across and in embracing relation to the connecting or lingual bar I3,, thus forming what may be termed a yoke I8 for coupling the reenforcing means to said connecting or lingual bar. The upper end of the upper arm I6 is disposed to abut a portion of theclip II, and is rigidly secured thereto by means of a soldered joint or connection. The yoke I8 is likewise rigidly secured in its embracing relation to the connecting or lingual bar l3 by means of a soldered joint or connection. To the assembly thus produced, the material of the plate section 10 is molded, so that the shank I2 of the clip H and the end portion [4 of the connecting or lingual bar I3 will be imbedded in the mass of the plate section, and so that the material of the plate section will fill the troughs formed by the interior of the arms I6 and I! of the reenforcing body l5, whereby the exterior surfaces of said arms are exposed substantially flush with the adjacent external surface areas of the plate section.

The novel reenforcing means, being molded into the plate section and so related to the connecting or lingual bar and to the clip as to be unitary therewith, strongly reenforces the anchorage of both the connecting or lingual bar and the clip to the mass of the plate section. By reason of this, working of the imbedded end portion 14 of the connecting or lingual bar and of the shank [2 of the .clip relative to the mass of .the plate section In is .strongly resisted, and consequently tendency of these parts to loosen relative to the latter is prevented. Furthermore, owing tothe bracing support by the reenforcing means .ofportions-of the .connecting or lingual bar and .of the clip at the points of emergence thereof from the plate section mass, application of bending stresses or strains to said portion is prevented, so that .risk of weakening, crystallization and ultimate breaking of said portions is likewise avoided. It will thus be apparent that not only is the union of the connecting .or lingual-bar and of the clip with the plate section strongly reenforced against break- .age, loosening, or detrimental deformation, but :also the entire structure -of the partial denture is greatly strengthened, so that its desired fit relative to the jaw ridge and natural teeth of the wearer is stabilized, and firmness, security and wearing comfort of the denture is therefore assured.

While the combination of the novel reenforcing means with the plate sections, lingual bar and clips of a partial denture for application to a lower jaw has .been specifically shown and described, it will be understood thatthe novel reenforcing means may be similarly combined with .the plate sections, palatal bar and clips of v a partial denture application to an upper jaw plate sections joined by a connecting bar the end portions of which are imbedded and anchored in the respective platev sections and said plate sections having clips projecting from their inner .ends the shanks of which are likewise imbedded and anchored therein, the combination with the foregoing-elements of an external reenforcing 4 body afiixed to and embracing an edge portion of each plate section, and said body having an upwardly directed end portion extending across and aflixed to the connecting bar and extending therefrom to the adjacent clip with its extremity aflixed to said clip.

2. In a partial denture comprising spaced plate sections joined by a connecting bar the end portions of which are imbedded and anchored in the respective plate sections and said plate sections having clips projecting from their inner ends the shanks of which are likewise imbedded and anchored therein, the combination with the foregoing elements of a sheet metal reenforcing body for attachment to each plate section, each body being folded longitudinally to provide a hollow interior of inwardly open substantially U-shaped cross-section within which the material of a plate section is molded whereby to afiix the body to and for external extension along and in embracing relation to a free edge portion of saidplate section at the inextend across and embrace the connecting bar in affixedrelation to the latter, and said body 7 extending from the connecting bar to the adjacent clip with its extremity affixed to said clip.

3. In combination with a plate section of a partial denture, a clip extending from the inner end ofsaid plate section and having a shank imbeddedinthe material of said plate section, aconnecting bar having an end portion imbedded-in the material .of said plate section and an external portion extending from the inner end of said plate section in downwardly spaced relation to said clip, a sheet metal reenforcing body folded longitudinally to provide a hollow interior of inwardly open substantially U-shaped cross-section by which the lower rearward edge portion and an end edge portion of the plate section is embraced and affixed, thewalls of said body .at a point adjacent its upper end being flattened together and outwardly bowed to provide a yoke portion disposed to extend across and to embrace the connectingibar in afiixed relation thereto, and the upperend portion ofsaid body extending from said connecting :bar to said .clip with its extremity afiixed. to the latter.

AUGUSTUS R. MACKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,140,566 Boos May 25 1915 2,279,351 Skinner Apr. 14, 1942 

